A question of seamanship

None of us plans to be caught in a gale, but if it happens then both the boat and the crew must cope. Jake Kavanagh speaks to Jester Challenge skippers and asks how they get ready for stormy weather

A camping dinghy may not offer the comforts of a modern cabin yacht, but no yacht is comfortable on a hard beat, no matter how many berths she may accommodate in her cabin. And there are serious disad

RACHAEL SPROT is a Yachtmaster Examiner with an impressive number of sea miles logged, from Lofoten to St Lucia and beyond

Proper preparation prevents poor performance

The sun is shining, there is a consistent breeze from the southeast, and I hear the distinct flapping sound of a boat tacking through the wind. Popping up on deck I suddenly realise that I am surround

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